Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

April 2014

Everyone remembers the incident recently where New York Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson went into the corner for a ball and a fan in the stands reached out into the field of play and decided to pat him on the back physically.

We have no idea what emotions or aggressive countermeasures popped into Granderson’s mind, but he did show some decorum considering he was deep into the corner where bad things can happen with an unplanned aggressive impromptu flick of a glove.

Instantly the phrase “violation of his personal space” flashed through my mind and possibly the first aspects of fight of flight possibly came crashing instantly into Granderson’s subconscious thoughts, but he subdued them to the point of a bevy of unknown verbal punches and chatter instead of a physical confrontation or worse.

I personally feel that Granderson’s snap to the moment attitude and comments to the fans were warranted, and that the fan crossed that invisible boundary that should never be crossed during the course of game. No matter if it is your hometown hero or a visiting titan, promoting physical contact with a player without them first initiating an action has to be a taboo.

Personally, I would never during the course of a game initiate any form of physical contact with a player on the field unless that player showed a first inclination towards seeking such an action. If the player feels that respect and comfort level to “tap gloves with you” or even throw you a baseball, take it as a thoughtful gesture and not an invite to initiate any further reactions unless it seems mutual.

Even if the player is someone you might have chatted with during batting practice or at team events, his adherence to feeling secure while out on the field is paramount and we as fans need to respect that without recourse or damaging said security. If not, we can be sure another aspect of “security” will intervene possibly to have use leave the ballpark.

We sometimes forget that within a player’s focus within the scope of the game comes a natural aggression, and touching them when it is not warranted can spark an instant emotional as well as physical reaction.

Granderson definitely made the right choice in this interaction by choosing to verbally put the fan in his “place” instead of taking a more aggressive or costly physical action. If the ball had ventured into the stands in foul territory and both Granderson and the fan were both seeking the ball, it might be a different conversation.

But the action happen well beyond the player’s side of the base lines and in that instant the fan initiating the bad judgment call needs to be reminded of his place in the game. If you truly look at the legal aspect of the action, the fan committed a major fan faux pas or could be classified as a simple assault even if it was meant as a congratulatory “pat on the back”.

Sure it was a spontaneous response by the fan, and a bad one at that, but Granderson kept his cool and his post-game comments were spot on as to the only time a player and fan should fight for a ball or come into contact during a game.

“Hey, if the ball is coming into the stands, you’re more than welcome to go ahead and grab it and catch it and do whatever you want to,” Granderson said. “Once you come onto the field of play, whether it’s reaching over or actually stepping onto the field, obviously then the rule has been broken.”

Moral of this post: Know your boundaries, especially with regards to players and the field.

It is going to be one colorful, extravagant and interesting game tonight under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. For tonight the Tampa Bay Rays not only play host to the Minnesota Twins, but they also invite Bollywood as a salute to their own neighbor Tampa being selected as the sight for this year’s International India Film Academy (IIFA), which some affectionately anoint the “Bollywood Oscars”.

It will be a night of choreographed flamboyant dances, or as the television show “The Neighbors” call it, “screw in the light bulb, pet the dog” large scale ballpark participation sequences. Who knows, all game long during the mid-innings we could see sporadic mob style dancing segments pop up all over the ballpark from the Porch, to the TBT Deck, or maybe even the Papa John’s Bullpen Café.

I mean we have the dancing segment filled, and also have a real Bollywood leading man (Shahid Kapoor) throwing out the First Pitch and if my friend’s daughter is any judge, hearts will swoon.

I am sure we will witness Rays game day host Rusty Kath dressed festively possibly in a Gandi cap or ornate and fashionable Sherwani. Who knows maybe he will put his Gandi cap into the ring and do some impromptu dance moves (we know Raymond will try).

Hopefully Rusty will not chose to wear a Panache or Lungi because that would make hopping a wall a bit….exposing even for the unflappable Rays game host. Now Raymond could pull off the traditional men’s sarong with grace and ease (I hope).

I know with the upcoming IIFA awards beginning today and running through April 26th in our neighboring city on the east side of Tampa Bay, it is a perfect time to bring Bollywood into a baseball stadium and the Rays Promo team jumped right into the fray with a ticket offer with a ceremonial one-of-a-kind T-shirt offer just for the special night with seating starting at $25 in the Press Level (maybe Marc Topkin will pass you a hot dog).

I am also hoping the Rays, who seem closely aligned with Florida neighbor Walt Disney Productions will also have a few trailer or spot videos of the upcoming Disney baseball film “The Million DollarArm” which opens May 16th Nationwide. The biological sports drama is a true story of the Indian pitching prospects Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel who began their M L B dream in another neighboring city, Bradenton, Fl. back in 2008.

Tonight should be a great festive night with colors splashes all over the Trop., great dancing and who knows maybe even a post-game dance on the field via walk-off (it’s been a while). No matter how you slice it, tonight will be a collision of the senses as colors, sounds fill the Trop celebrating Bollywood and who knows, maybe even Todd Kalas or Rays Manager Joe Maddon will get into the moment do their own little post-game shimmy….I can’t wait to take it all in tonight.

ਪਲੇ ball!

I also included a trailer for “The Million Dollar Arm” for those interested in the film:

People keep humming in my ear about this obnoxious word “parity” and I personally do not believe in the term’s long-term Major League Baseball season long relevance. I want to not only believe but put a stake in the phrase’s longevity over a 162-game schedule, but for me personally, I feel the phrase “parity” has a short-term shelf life at best in regards to the M L B.

I already can embrace the realism that a budget-conscious teams like Tampa Bay Rays or Kansas City Royals can stand toe-to-toe with an M L B payroll giant and defeat them on a more consistent basis, and in late September deliver a seasonal death blow. I want to believe in a season-long aspect of parity, but right now I see it as a sprinting or short-term quick phrase to denote optimistic wants and feel the phrase within the M L B is currently not built for the seasonal endurance race.

Heck I truly believe at this point in the 2014 war even the Houston Astros can mount a few series wins and shake the cobwebs out of their fans minds to the team being better than their 2013 edition. But is parity really the right phrase to use to denote early season upheaval or divisional shifts when the paint is still not dry on their respective 2014 Opening Day field logos.

If your team is out to a fast start like Washington or Milwaukee there will be a buzz that it is “our year”, and fans will promote the heck out of any chance that the team will solidify and fight off the challenges even as the season only hits its 5-6% completion point.

But just as quickly parity can change into overconfidence and soon both fans and a team can be swimming in infested waters seeking some sort of a life raft after a few well-placed defeats. There is a lot of ground to cover before champagne is spilled and White House selfies are committed to history.

Maybe it is more the fact that this comforting word called “parity” helps ease the pain of teams face-painting over their underlying rebuilding modes or those squads even at this early stage who are talent-wise just not up to snuff yet to fight off the advancing thundering M L B herd.

Parity actually is meant to subliminally ease our anxiety even at this early stage of the season by enhancing the notion that each of the 30 M L B squads are within a “state or condition of being equal, especially regarding status or pay”.

But the reality is the Dodgers and Yankees have invested northwards of $200 million in payroll for 2014. The truth here is this top-tier twosome handpicked their talents banking not only their wants but dollars that their hired guns and provide their monetary worth through production.

On the other end of the scale the thrifty bottom M L B foursome of Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Miami and Houston cannot feasibly crack the $80 million payroll mark. Sure they have stockpiled talents in their farm systems but any deviation from their 2014 Mission Statement could result in disastrous countermoves or reversals of their master plans for their talent and franchise.

Seriously, some teams like Detroit have only played 8 games to this point (April 11th) in the season while the Rays, Toronto, L.A. and San Francisco have battled 11 times in this short time period.

So does that make the Rays and Jays early season favorites to blow out the American League East sporting their current identical 6-5 records, or is the reality that the division is still a crap shoot as Baltimore which is currently in last place in the A L East is only 2 games out at 4-6.

That very descriptive word parity has a way of staying in our thoughts and minds right up until the dog days of summer. Then our minds are emphatically snapped back in what is true and we suddenly see that the positive mirage involving our squads during the first few months have vaporized into dust and we are left wondering when the scales of fortune started dipping against us.

Sure we are only 8-11 games into the 2014 M L B campaign, but already some teams are showing unforeseen vulnerabilities and others seem solid as granite. The truth with parity is that it is relevant at this current stage of an M L B season, but as the season progresses and moves through its own changes the divide between the “haves and have not’s” become brutally apparent and suddenly you are faced with a choice…..stay positive, hope for a revival or face the brutal fact your team might be outmatched once again.

I personally feel the parity phase of an M L B season is more based within the April-to-June segment of a season than can be systematically played out currently throughout a 162-game format. Still, this is not a moment for any fan of the 10 teams currently sporting 4 or less victories at this stage in 2014 to sulk or visit the dark side.

All it takes is a few series win, a few walk-offs, an unexpected whirlwind of fortunate circumstances to again breathe life into the parity persona.

I know there is a better word to emulate than parity for this phase of the season.

Hopefully someone wiser than me can develop and articulate another optimistic phrase for this segment of the season and we can finally put the word parity out of its misery and embrace another word that we can all embrace with ultimate clarity and want.

I have never let someone else take the helm of my blog before, even on a one-time basis, but there is but one Haley Smilow. So maybe it is time for me to do some “paying it forward” and provide a forum for a budding M L B beat reporter/ interview guru. I know Haley doesn’t need a lot of help as her accolades and accomplishments already at a young age simply blow my mind.

I always try and encourage writers both young and mature to find their own groove and take their time writing what they enjoy, or what might inform or entertain people. To paraphrase a old saying, “If you enjoy what you do, it will never be work”. I have a feeling Haley will never have to work a day in her life, only enjoy what she does with passion and joy.

So please welcome my first ever guest blogger the aspiring journalist Miss Haley as she gives us an inspiring and in-depth interview she did with Tampa Bay Rays southpaw extraordinaire David Price in one of the that holiest place within Tropicana Field, the Rays dugout:

Do you have a favorite ballpark other than Tropicana and why? And is there a ballpark where you feel you always play well in?

DP: I like Target Field. We usually stay close to the stadium, so we can walk there. They have great food and I like the self-serve ice cream machine. I feel like I play well at Fenway. It is a good park for lefty pitching especially when facing a heavily stacked right handed team.

Do you have any nicknames that teammates call you?

DP: The Latin guys call me “Precio” Spanish for Price, and Homeright.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals?

DP: I would say more like routines. I always wear the same green Tampa Bay shirt and cap to the stadium. When we are on the road, I take guys out to eat and pay for lunch and cabs. I feel like its good karma and that will come back to me.

Better Inning? 3 Pitches – 3 Outs or 9 Pitches – 3 Strike Outs?

DP: Good question!! I used to be really focused on getting the strike outs, but now I think 3 pitches/3 outs. First pitch outs are the way to keep the pitch count down and to go deep in games.

Is there a batter you really don’t like to face?

DP: Yes, Danny Valencia. Lifetime he is 9 for 12 against me. No matter what team he’s been on, he always hits me hard. The last time we played the Orioles he went 2 for 3 with an RBI double, a single and a walk against me.

How did you prepare yourself for games and facing hitters?

DP: I prepare by trying to execute my pitches. I like to stick to my style of pitching and my strengths instead of trying to pitch to batter’s weaknesses.

First Round draft pick in 2007, starting pitcher for the 2010 All – Star game, winning the 2012 Cy Young and of course the cover of MLB 2K 13 what are some of your other accomplishments you are proud of?

DP: I would have to say winning left handed pitcher of the year award in 2010 and Player’s Choice in 2012. Player’s Choice in my opinion is more important than Cy Young because it is voted on by your peers. It means a lot that my teammates and opponents think that highly of me and my pitching.

Where does your love of baseball come from?

DP: My parents. We always watched baseball together as a family. I would come home from school, play baseball, eat dinner and then watch a game on TV. It has been a part of my life always.

If you could go back in time who would you want to play baseball with?

DP: Would have to say Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente. I would also love to play with Dwight Gooden he was an incredible pitcher. I think it would be fun to compete against them.

If I could change one thing about baseball it would be?

DP: After a batter has two strikes, a foul should be strike three. It would keep the game moving faster.

If you weren’t playing baseball what could you see yourself doing?

DP: I would be a teacher and coach. I love kids.

Favorite baseball movie?

DP: “Sandlot”. I have seen it so many times that if I just hear one line, I know its Sandlot.

5 songs on your I pod that are on repeat?

DP: Oh man, I just got asked that question the other day and it took me like 20 minutes to come up with three!! I would have to say Young Jeezy “Hustler’s Ambition” and “Go Hard”, Lindsey Stirling and Coldplay.

What is your favorite thing to cook?

DP: Spaghetti, it’s hard to mess up. I don’t make my own sauce I just get the Prego.

Have you ever been Pranked?

DP: Yes, Sean Rodriguez pranked James Shields and me on M L B Fan Cave. Sean Rodriguez planned it and we had to do a couple “fake” promos. For one segment I was supposed to scream in a high pitched voice and jump in Sean’s arms like a girl because of a shark. They got me to do it like five times before they told me. That was a good one.

One-thing fans don’t know about you?

DP: I do not run my dog Astro’s twitter account.

What do you do for fun other then baseball?

DP: Normal everyday things. I play with my dog, hang out with my girlfriend Tiffany, and video games. I like to do many things that kids like to do. I don’t like to take extreme chances like skydiving or bungee jumping, just like to be as normal as possible.

What wouldn’t you leave your home without? DP: My cell phone. It’s how I keep in touch with friends and family. I also run my twitter account through it.

Do you have any other favorite sports besides Baseball?

DP: I love basketball and golf. I would like to play professional golf because you get to go to beautiful locals and the weather is always nice. Not like pitching in 45 degrees in the rain.

What are some of your biggest challenges and how did you over come them?

DP: Just staying focused and staying positive when you are struggling in a game. I try to execute my pitches and keep my mentality positive.

What advice would you give to young players?

DP: Have fun it’s a game.

Renegade: That was an awesome and insightful interview Haley! I know we all learned a bit more about the Rays premier southpaw.

I want to thank Junior Baseball Magazine and Haley Smilow for this fantastic contribution. If you wish you read more of Haley’s posts please click on this link and it will redirect you to her MLBlogs.com . If you want to be one of the army of Twitter followers, feel free to click here and it will take you to her Twitter feed.

I truly look forward to Haley’s future M L B adventures and her budding M L B beat reporter or columnist gig in the future. Thank you again Haley!

I originally was going to write this post on April 1st, but in the past I’ve done posts on leaving the site, changing my team alliances and even a weird player trade that even had a few people call Tampa Bay Rays sources to see if it was official or just a bad rumor.

So I delayed this announcement for a day so that it would not be valued as an April Fool’s notation, but as a true to life change in my literary persona and a widen more broad approach to the game I love and cherish.

Change is inedible in life. We see our surroundings, friends and even lives change within a wisp of wind. Such is about to happen here on my little slice of baseball heaven.

When I decided to some back and write again this past December, I knew I had to mix things up somehow since I felt I had become a bit predictable and downright focused only in one direction. Tunnel-vision can be a good thing and a bad thing for a writer. For me it seemed to be just like being caught flat-footed between the bases with a swift infielder trying to tag me out of the game.

So it was time for a thought process about a change. First I had to decide if my blog persona would stay intact or change with the rest of the black and white type renovation. I liked my handle “Rays Renegade”, and it has been whispered (at least a few times) within the tilted cap of the Trop or on various websites and I had to decide if I was going to start 100 percent fresh, or keep at least the persona I had built since September 2007.

The decision about the name was easy. I had built a literary personality and it for now will stay intact, but not written in stone.

So the next phase has been in the process for quite a while. I love the Rays and cherish every moment and victory the team has achieved since I first glanced towards the infield in 1998, but now my focus will be more resembling any team’s pre-game Batting Practice as balls will be going to all fields, high into the stands and well as screamers down the foul lines.

By opening my vision towards 29 other teams I can find more material, base opinions and provide a more compelling blog by using all fields instead of just trying to go to deep center with each and every pitch.

I truly cherish this game and the people who make it special, and that will not change in any fashion. I will hope to bring a broader voice and basis of opinions and facts as to the game from coast-to-coast. Be it good or bad, I hope to bring my realistic views and notions to things going on around the M L B , but there will be moments where the Rays will hold my glance a bit longer.

That being said, it is time to begin the renovation, the change and the revision I have envisioned for a while but procrastinated until now.

Change in life is a good thing. We all do it be it our clothes, jobs or even revising our personalities or character to bring about a positive change in our lives. This blog to me was a uniform I wore, a cap I pulled down tight upon my brow and stared in at a hitter who wanted to place my pitch into the Rays Tank.

So begins the change that will resemble my time in Row C of Section 138 of Tropicana Field. At the bottom of the section, the seat on the field side of the row within a shout or anguished scream at a player or reaction to the game events…….I always loved to Bellow from the Bleachers to the field heckling or even encouraging players during the course of a game throughout a season.

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